EXCLUSIVE: The Zurich Summit has scored a coup with a strong lineup this year headlined by Backrooms director Kane Parsons.
The lineup of speakers at the annual industry conference, dubbed the “Davos of the film industry”, also includes Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences CEO Bill Kramer, Candle Media Co-Founder and Co-CEO Kevin Mayer, Mediawan Pictures CEO and Group Chief Content Officer Elisabeth d’Arvieu, MUBI founder and CEO Efe Cakarel, and Particle 6 Founder and CEO Eline van der Velden, who will be in conversation with her much-discussed AI actor creation Tilly Norwood.
As the official media partner for the Summit (which is the flagship industry event of the Zurich Film Festival), Deadline covers and moderates panels, hosts the Deadline Studio for executive interviews, and provides on-the-ground reporting.
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Also speaking at the event will be 2026 Game Changer Award recipient Glen Basner, founder and CEO of FilmNation Entertainment, CAA Media Finance’s Roeg Sutherland and Sarah Schweitzman, UTA Independent Film Group Partner and Head, Rena Ronson, as well as former WME Independent Co-Lead and Partner, Alex Walton.
Themes expected to be tackled during the event, which takes place September 25 to 27, 2026, at The Dolder Grand, include AI, the creator economy, the box office boom and industry resilience.
Parsons and Kramer will be part of a panel about the theatrical box office’s resurgence this year, a bounceback in part thanks to movies like Parsons’ horror breakout Backrooms, A24’s biggest theatrical hit to date. The panel is expected to explore the importance of digital media for getting an audience’s attention as well as the growth of YouTube in the entertainment ecosystem. The Academy recently announced a landmark deal and partnership decision to stream the Oscars exclusively on the platform beginning in 2029. Kramer will kick off this session with a keynote focused on his vision for the Academy as a global film organization and the future of the Oscars.
Cakarel will deliver a keynote exploring MUBI’s evolution and rise, and the strategy behind building a global streamer, producer and distributor. Cakarel will then join a panel with Elisabeth D’Arvieu and Kevin Mayer, which explores scale and agility when it comes to building resilient media companies in a time of disruption and examining the role of mergers and acquisitions in shaping the future of the industry.
Cakarel and Sutherland will also be speaking days before at the San Sebastian finance summit but most of the other speakers mentioned above are expected to be exclusive to the Zurich Summit.
ZFF Festival Director Reta Guetg said today: “The Zurich Film Festival was named one of Europe’s ten best festivals by The Guardian and recognized as a trendsetter. While we embrace technology and innovation, our commitment to cinema and the theatrical experience remains as strong as ever. At the same time, we keep a close eye on the zeitgeist and emerging trends. This approach is deeply aligned with Zurich’s DNA. The city is one of Europe’s leading technology hubs and home to major offices of Google, Apple, Meta, Microsoft and Disney. The Zurich Summit is designed to stay at the cutting edge and set the agenda on issues that continue to shape industry conversations for months, as last year’s viral discussion around Tilly Norwood demonstrated.”
She continued: “But the Summit is not only about conversation. It is also about collaboration, concrete action and deal-making. By bringing industry leaders, filmmakers, financiers and researchers together in Zurich, we create an environment where ideas can turn into partnerships and business opportunities. For us, it is essential to foster meaningful exchange, encourage collaboration and provide a platform where the industry can not only discuss the future, but actively help shape it.”
Christian Jungen, CEO of the Zurich Film Festival, commented: “The Zurich Summit is a business relevant event for many national and international decision-makers. In recent years, numerous participants have connected with investors through the Summit or significantly increased the value of their companies by presenting their vision, projects and growth plans. The Summit offers a crucial and unique opportunity to learn, network, build meaningful relationships and exchange ideas in an intimate and highly personal setting. Despite strong demand, we deliberately limit participation to 150 attendees and grant accreditations access exclusively to high-profile leaders in the global film industry.”
